Players hoping to get an early taste of the highly anticipated Battlefield 6 are instead getting a lesson in patience. The game’s early access open beta went live today and was immediately slammed with so many players that EA has implemented a massive queue system, leaving some prospective soldiers staring at wait times with over 270,000 people ahead of them.

The overwhelming demand was evident even before the beta officially launched. There are thousands of players who pre-loaded the game are already sitting in queues on Steam just to access the main menu and tweak settings. Once the beta’s early access period kicked off, those numbers skyrocketed, with some players on PS5 reporting queue positions as high as 270,000.

Developer DICE has acknowledged the long waits, stating that the queue system is an intentional measure to maintain stability. In a statement posted to its official comms channel on X (formerly Twitter), the studio explained its strategy for what it’s calling “Battlefield’s biggest Open Beta ever.”

The server strain is a direct result of the immense hype surrounding the game, which is positioned as a return to form for the franchise. The interest is not just limited to players trying to get in; it’s also dominating streaming platforms. Within minutes of the beta’s launch, Battlefield 6 became the most-watched game on Twitch with over 600,000 concurrent viewers. It also shot up the Steam charts, becoming one of the most-played games on the platform with nearly 200,000 concurrent players. For now, if you want to play, your best bet is to get in line and hope for the best.